Data Visualization for the Rest of Us

Data visualization is mushrooming. Every single day hundreds of new charts and maps are published on blogs and news sites. This is the glamorous side of data visualization. But what about you? You have no graphic designer skills, no programming skills, and are stuck with Excel and that boring business data.

Let me tell you a secret: you don’t need those skills. You do need data analysis skills and apply them using sound data visualization principles. That’s a strong competitive advantage. Because that’s the future.

The Excel Chars Blog Approach

I’ve been creating information products since I left college. I know that there is a large gap between what organizations do and what academic experts recommend. I try to find a middle ground where basic data visualization principles are rooted on our current know ledge of human perception but, at the same time, make sure that the result meet the expectations of business users. Yes, some practices are off limits (like 3D effects) but I wouldn’t tell you to drop pie charts from your toolbox immediately. At some point you’ll find that you don’t really need them.

I want to offer business users a place acquire new skills that helps them to make sense of their business data through better data analysis, management, visualization and communication, and improve their application skills along the way. I value a practical, hands-on approach to business problems while providing a higher level context: a “how-to” approach within a “why” framework. This approach favors reusable, long-term skills over the immediate “tips & tricks” approach.

Rules of The House

Basically:

Your first comment here will have to wait for approval; I try to do this asap;

I will delete or not approve comments that add nothing to the discussion;

This is my house and trolls are not welcome;

This is an ad-free blog. There is nothing wrong with ads, I just prefer not to have them here; if you want to be a sponsor, well, thank you but no;

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If I do recommend a product and I may benefit from it, I’ll disclose that;

By default, links to Amazon contain my Amazon Associates code, so I earn a few cents if you buy the book;

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